


Unsteady

by RottenMint



Series: Paternal Instincts [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-18 15:44:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11293740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RottenMint/pseuds/RottenMint
Summary: In which Keith learns his mother is an exception to the typical behaviour of Galran parents.





	Unsteady

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, two fics in one day! Thanks to everyone for their kind comments and kudos, you've all really helped me stay in high spirits while writing. Title of this fic is obviously inspired by Unsteady by X-Ambassadors, which I listened to so I could get out... Certain scenes. You'll know which ones I'm talking about. 
> 
> As always, sorry for any mistakes, and constructive criticism is always appreciated.

A heaviness settles in his bones, his mind. It's familiar in the worst of ways. A sense of loneliness despite having more people around who care about him than ever before. It makes his skin feel tight. He needs a distraction.

Keith clambers out of bed, movements careful.

Shiro remains asleep and unmoving, snoring softly.

He grabs his knife, sliding it into its sheath before creeping into the hallway. The hall lighting is dim, blue lights glowing along the walls. Keith looks left, then right. A few rounds with the training robot would be enough to erase the feeling bubbling in his stomach, but he knows that isn't what he needs. Something is encouraging him to head to the bridge. He goes left.

The castle is noiseless. There are no sounds of the mice scurrying through the vents, or of Hunk whipping up a late night snack for himself (and occasionally one of the other Paladins or Allura). It's strange.

Keith steps onto the bridge and stills. Someone else is sitting on the floor, staring out the window at the stars. Keith shifts, preparing to head back to his room, when a glowing yellow gaze locks with his own. His pulse hammers, chest going tight.

“Oh, Thace. Sorry, I didn't know you- I’m gonna go.” He turns sharply on his heel, hoping the walk back to the room will be enough to calm him down.

“Please, stay. I'd enjoy the company.”

Keith glances over his shoulder. Thace is facing the window. The lack of direct attention lets his heartbeat slow, his chest loosen. Keith shuffles his way to Thace, sitting down an arm's length away and drawing his knees to his chest.

“Couldn't sleep?” Thace inquires, still looking away from Keith.

“Something like that.”

An easy silence hangs between them. They haven't spoken much since their first meeting, but something about fighting together made Keith feel unusually relaxed around Thace.

“What are Galrans like, with their kids- er, kits?” Keith blurts. For the first time since Keith entered the room, Thace’s focus is on him. Keith keeps his gaze on the window.

“Well,” a beat passes, “they are protective. There is very little a parent of my species would not do to keep their young safe. They form bonds, as well, and those last for a lifetime.”

Keith hums, silence blanketing them again. An undercurrent of tension threads through the air, barely there yet sharp like a knife.

“I know that you never knew your mother,” Thace says,blatant, “and that she left you that blade. Kolivan told me about the trials.” Keith shrugs, the motion jerky and stiff. 

“We may not know who your mother is, or whether she is Galra, but Keith, she gave you that blade because she knew you would be fine without her.” Keith’s head whips to the side. He glares at Thace, brow furrowed and eyes wet.

“The fact that you were willing to give up knowing about your past after fighting so hard to learn so little, especially to save the lives of others, was incredible. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, and the previous owner of this knife, she knew that. She believed-”

“She left me!”

Thace’s ears swivel back. He’s never heard Keith raise his voice outside of battle, outside of anger or panic. The sudden explosion of his emotions- fear, confusion, sadness, loss- throws Thace off. Even knowing that Keith is a child by the standards of both his parent species, he is always so calm. So quiet and collected unless provoked.

And the tears. He never once thought he would see Keith cry.

“It doesn't matter what she believed. She left me, and my dad left me. If she’d stayed, or taken me with her, then maybe-” Keith chokes, slapping his palm over his mouth as a sob escapes him. Thace makes a pained sound, holding out a hand.

Keith cries like his chest is cracking in half.

Emotions are an unpredictable thing. There is no true way to calm someone's anger, beat their sadness, chase away the monsters in their head. Keith is shaking, upset, and Thace doesn't know how to help. If he can.

“Keith.” Keith’s eyes, blurry with tears, meet Thace’s.

“Nothing that I say, or anything that your mother might say will justify the fact that she abandoned you. She left you on a planet with no knowledge of life beyond their own, with the blood of an alien coursing through your veins. Regardless of how human you are, you’re Galra too, and those parts of you have been neglected your whole life due to her actions. But,” his voice is firm, “her reasons might've made her think leaving you to have a normal life on Earth was the best option.” Thace keeps his hand extended, waiting, as Keith continues to stare at him.

The next thing he knows, his arms are _full_ of Keith.

It’s obvious that Keith is unused to seeking physical comfort. The way he crushes himself against Thace, attempting to make himself smaller, is behaviour typical of an extremely young kit. It’s a behaviour that is grown out of as they grow too large to be held in such a way. Keith isn’t big, compared to Thace, but he’s not small either. It takes a moment of maneuvering to find a position where he can wrap himself around Keith. Thace makes a litany of soft noises, cooing and crooning.

They don't move for hours.

:::

“Sorry about all that, back there,” Keith mumbles, “it's never been this bad before.” He takes a step back, his bedroom door sliding open when he gets in range. Thace shakes his head.

“Please, don't apologize. I should most likely be apologizing to you on my behalf, and that of the other Blades. I'm sorry if the way we’ve treated you caused this.”

“Oh, no, this is something that I go through every now and then. I think it's more stress from the trials, not you guys.”

“Are you sure? I can talk to the others and we can-”

“I like it.” Keith cuts in. His face still holds a blotchy redness from crying, but his eyes are hard and serious. “The way you treat me, that you accept me so easily for who I am and only try to help me. I appreciate it.”

An easy smile spreads on Thace’s lips.

“Alright. Rest well, Keith.”

“You too, Thace.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was a monster to write. I went through several drafts before I could find the right way to bridge Keith leaving his room and finding Thace. I hoped to make this a bit more sad, but in the end I thought that I should leave this as is. 
> 
> So. Now I'm gonna go draw Keith crying, or maybe draw the whole scene from this. I dunno, we'll find out. 
> 
> Check me out on Tumblr (also where I post my art, be warned, it's nothing fancy) @ clever-canadian-goose


End file.
